Peter Innes, 35, Jospeph Carolan, 45, and Gary Rarity, 25, all from Sunderland, were caught with stolen pipes from the St Mary's Hospital site last August after police stopped their car on the A1.

Newcastle Crown Court heard from prosecutor Amanda Rippon that there were several disused buildings on the site, many of which were linked by underground tunnels containing water pipes and heavy duty power cables.

At the time, the site had recently been purchased by Bellway Homes and was under security surveillance.

A security guard became suspicious just before 11pm on August 26 after noticing a red Renault Savannah parked at the main entrance, and called the police.

A search of the premises found no-one, but just after 1am the security guard saw the car drive past with something heavy in the back.
Police returned to the scene, and stopped the car as it approached the A1.

The vehicle contained six 4ft copper pipes, and the three men all had dirt on their clothes.

Innes, of Bodlewell House, Carolan, of Hastings Street in Hendon, and Rarity of St Leonard's Street in Hendon, made no reply during police interview.

Timothy Gatland, defending Innes, told the court: "We are all encouraged to think green and recycle.

"The site must have been a magnet for 'recyclers', and that was what these men were doing - trying to make a decent shilling, and they accept that.

"Innes had his car crushed and recycled as a result of this."

Judge David Hodson imposed each defendant with a two-year conditional discharge, and Rarity had an existing unpaid work order extended by 30 hours.